The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-04-14
FOREIGN GOSSIP.

FORElGN GOSSlP.
Fresh Chit-Chat Compiled from the News
papers Of Europe.
The most ancient and picturesque of all
the once militant orders of chivalry, the Sow
ereign Order of st. John of Jerusalem, has of
late shown renewed signs of life. In 1879 the
historic dignity of grand master, which had
been in allegiance since 1906 was revived;
and now the Knights of Malta have just
elected a successor to that once powerful
office. The new grand master is Fra Guido,
Count of Thun-Hohenstein and he succeeds
Count Lichnowsky, who has recently died.
Fra Guido has, since 1878, been the envoy
extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary
at the court of Vienna for, being a sover-
eign order, the knights have the privilege Of
appointing ambassadors. Founded in 1913
at Jerusalem, it was erected in Ills into a re-
ligious order of chivalry. In 1909 its men,
bers became Knights of Rhodes, and since
1880 they have been Knights of Malta. The
order is reputed to be very rich. The salary
of the grand master is believed to be about
1000 a year, and he occupies the palace of
he order at Vienna. Membership is ex-
tremely difficult to obtain, and an essential
| qualification is the possession of very large
number of heraldic quarterings. Of late
years the knights have been chiefly distin-
g,lished by their laudable efforts to diminish
the horrors of war by providing succor for
the wounded.
1t is a painful fact, as has been often
| pointed out, that veritable centenarians are
r1,la ta Sp,nlars A Sfrily lyinU
case in point is that of woman, by name
"Polly Prince" an inmate of the Fir Vale
| Workhouse, near Sheffield, whose Tooth
| birthday was celebrated with much festivity
in that establishment, when Mrs. Prince and
the other inmates of her ward were provided
with "tea," including cakes and other
Injuries. The heroine of the evening re-
ceved several presents which she highly ap-
preciated; but what she priced most was
| quantity of tobacco that was given to her in
| honor of the occasion. She also received
three new pipes, one of which she smoked
after tea, but expressed preference for the
| old equity" or short black pipe, to which
she is accustomed. She was born at Paisley
near Glasgow, to which city she removed
| when young. At that time the Ninety-ffth
Rifles were stationed there, and one of the
privates-George Prince-married her. She
accompanied the regiment to the French
war and was present at the battle of Water
loo. He died about forty years ago. They
had eleven children, only one of whom sur
wives. Mrs. Prince continued to earn her
own living by washing until she was ninety.
One might imagine that the wheel of time
is turning backward on reading the follow
ing story which appears in German paper {:
A landed proprietor, Baron de Gostovsky,
living at Saboucz, near Danzig, made the re-
quest that at his death his head should be
cut off before his interment, service which
he said he had performed on the body of his
wife after her death. "We are a family of
vampires" he added, "and if this precaution
be not taken we can find no repose in the
grave, but come back and bring misfortune
to our Children The eldest son faithfully
fulfilled the fathers request, but notwith-
standing this he fell ill few days after the
funeral. Then he went to the cemetery,
caused the grave to be opened, turned the
body over, and threw the head into a wood
near by. Only the slight punishment of a
iortnlght's imprisonment, imposed upon the
lcrpetrator of the outrage, was given, on
account of the statement of numerous wit
nesses, all of whom testified that the pro-
fanation of the sepulchre had its reason
solely in the firmly rooted superstitions in
Lithuanian county districts.
A Naples paper contains the following in
teresting story about the recent earthquakes
in France and Italy: cat Ceriano poor fel.
low who lived by hawking milk was buried
under the ruins of his cottage a little way out
of the town. AS he usually set off on his
rounds before four A. NJ, every one believed
he was safe; but he, too, had celebrated the
end of carnival by taking little wine, and
had slept late. His large dog which used tc
drag the milk cart up the mountain roads
smelt out his master and began to scratch
away the rubbish until he laid his master.
head bare, which was covered with wounds
Then the dog began to lick the wounds, but
finding that the bleeding continued, he raI
off and seized by the coat the first individual
he met who, thinking the dog was mad, go
loose and ran away. But a second person
guessing what the animal wanted, followed
him, and consequently the poor milkmal
was released. The Minister Genala paid hin
a visit, and found him with his head bounc
NJ under tent, with the faithful dog lying
beside him."
There is, it would seem, still some inter
esting anthropologcal discoveries to be mad,
in Europe by an enterprising Gulliver. Pro
fessor, ,Marazta has found in Pyrenean val
ley race of little people none of whom ar,
more than four feet high, and who are knowr
among their neighbors as Nanos. Judged by
by the gendarmes, and disappeared in tn
thickets which abound in the island. Whe
nearly brought to bay by his pursuers tw
shots were heard, and he fell dead at thei
feet. 1t is supposed that he was killed b.
the brother of Lovichi, who was resolved +
have revenge in true Corsican fashion.
The postoffice in India is regarded as S
miraculous an agency by the more ignoran
!, ; natives that in some out-ofthe-way place
! the very letter boxes are worshiped. Ii
one case man posted his letter in the bo
and shouted out its destination to inform tn
presiding spirit whom he supposed to be in
side. Another native humbly took off hi
, shoes as he approached the box, went througl
various devotions before and after postin
: his letter, and finally put some coppers be
ore the box as propitiatory Offering retil
ng in the same attitude of humility.
LORE VS.. LOVE.